Connecticut western news., 1887-07-27
THE VOLUNTEER IS FAST,
Her First Trip Indicates Her Ability
 to Hurry Things.

BOSTON, July 21-The new steel sloop Vol unteer is wonder. On her trial trip this afternoon she completely outsalled the New York sloop Priscilla and the cutter Bedouin ill a fine four-mile brush off Marblehead, and did it in an eighteen-mile wind. Everybody who saw her behavior in a splendid run down the coast was amazed by her wonderful speed and
 by her sea-going qualities.
 Twelve o'clock was the time set for the de- parture of the Volunteer from Boston, but
 early in the morning it was seen that she would
 not be ready at that hour. Hundreds of peo-
 pie watching the white sloop from the distant pier-heads of the city, noted with satisfaction the first sign of her departure, the hoisting of
 the jib in stops, about three o'clock. Then the
 anchor was hove short, tug ran alongside and took a line, there was some vigorous work at the windlass, the stout young Yankee quarter
 master ran to the wheel, and the Volunteer
 was under way, heading for the open sea. The tug was dropped at 4:35 o'clock, and the
 sloop with her boom to port and her sheets slightly started, laid her course for Cape Ann. For some minutes every sway of the mast and | hull emptied the sails, and the accompanying | tugs had frequently to slow down to keep the
 sloop company. But further out to sea coast
 CTS were bending away down and rushing on
 with their bluff bows almost hidden in foam,
 and the Volunteer soon came where an eigh- teen-mile wind was whlstllng and the waves
 were tumbling in confused and broken masses The sails swelled out, the long white hull
 heeled over, and streak of foam running along the lee rail- the racer started off as if
 she was alive. On board the tug bells jingled for full speed, and it was needed, too. It was
 a race of sail against steam, in which sail came very near winning.
 The Volunteer seemed to be in her chosen weather. Her sheets were stiffened almost | like iron bars and she rushed along at 8 rate
 of ten knots or more, yet stood mp in way which seemed marvellous. Her ballast-ffty | tons in the hollow keel and ten or twelve tons in ha hnl6-hpl6 her TIT str Sbp
 could easily have carried her club topsail | She had sailed nine miles when at $40, sixty | five minutes after dropping the tug, she stood | in with free sheet for Marblehead harbor. | half way back, and further out to sea & cutter was shaping her course for the harbor. The l sloop was the Priscilla of New York, and the | cutter the famous Bedouin. An exciting inn
 promptu, race resulted; The breeze held | strong, the sea was rough, and all three boats
 were running free under mainsail, fore stay
 sail jib, and working topsail. The Priscilla, | leading, was two miles ahead of the Volunteer, | and the Bedoin led the new sloop mile Only four miles were to be sailed to the anchor ! age. The Bedouin's British crew recognized | their formidable antagonist, and put their | powerful cutter to her mettle. No f1ukes were
 possible in such a wind and sea. It was a i square race.
 i The neat white sloop swept down on the i Bedouin in way which must have appalled, | the Britisher. In two miles she had gained
 half a mile, and at Marblehead Rock the
 sloop's tremendous bowsprit was almost up to
 the taffrail of the cutter, while the Priscilla 1 was just anchoring.
 A mile away Marblehead was up in arms to i welcome the beautiful stranger. whiff of | gunpowder smoke from the guns of excited
 cottagers drove across the sloop's deck as she
 rounded the point. Hats and handkerchiefs
 were waved from shore, and the vanquished | Bedouin fell away astern and to the leeward
 and left the harbor to the monopoly of the i Yankee yachts. There was a rush of white
 clad sailors along the sloop's decks her can- | vas began to come in, and she let go her
 anchor off the Eastern Yacht Club House, by | the side of the Priscilla